Journey of the Unchosen
by JulieArchery107
Summary: Ever wonder what happened to the constantly overshadowed by Charmander and Squirtle, Bulbasaur? Watch as he and a blind girl named Celia venture into the pokemon world and gather other pokemon rejects to form the most unlikely team to ever win the championship of Kanto.
1. Chapter 1

"Journey of the Unchosen."

Chapter 1

"Forgotten by Destiny."

"Have fun on your adventure kids!" Professor Oak waved his hand at the retreating children. "Be sure to take good care of your new partners and remember to tell your parents before you leave Pallet Town!"

"We will, Professor!" The girl holding a Squirtle called back.

"Wish us luck when we reach the Pokémon gyms, professor!" Her male counterpart pressing his newly acquired Charmander to his chest, shouted over his shoulder before disappearing through the door.

The elderly man of science chuckled loudly to himself, shaking his grey head in amusement.

"Ah…to be young and so full of unspent energy…" Oak mussed loudly, completely missing the tear-covered face of the remaining Pokémon in his disposal. "I remember when I was just as wee as those two whippersnappers, running around Kanto with my trusty Growlithe…" He sighted at the memory playing against his closed eyelids. "Ah…those were the days…"

The, constantly overlooked by his more popular companions, grass Pokémon called Bulbasaur could only look up at the elder human with tears shining in his large red eyes that _begged_ the renown Pokémon researcher to, just once, say that there is one more child expected to show up, only is running late.

Just _once._

But the plea was never answered as professor cut off his chuckling at the sound of a rather loud sniff.

"Oh! Oh dear…" He said with something resembling sympathy as he kneeled in front the distraught Pokémon. "Don't worry, buddy." He said trying to offer comfort. "I'm sure you'll find yourself a very caring and nice boy or girl willing to become your lifelong partner, in tomorrow's pick-ups."

That was a _lie_.

One that was fed to the poor naïve Bulbasaur ever since he was the one left behind for the first time, to keep his spirits up.

And, sadly, it was a lie to which the young Pokémon caught up to quite easily.

The truth was, kids in the Kanto region liked Charmander the most because he was the most devastating out of the three starters and evolved into a pretty cool-looking dragon. And, whoever had a neighbor that wouldn't shut up about his beloved little fire-breather, naturally chose the natural rival of said Pokémon, Squirtle, to wash the grin off every Charmander-owner they encounter.

Bulbasaur however…well he was regarded as the 'weakling' of the starters and, since most of the children around Kanto chose Charmander as their chosen starter, nobody in their right mind would pick a Pokémon who's biggest weakness is fire.

True, the other part of the trainer population own a venerable Squirtle, but before one can even _think_ about engaging a water-turtle in battle, they must first go through a whole _army_ of bloodthirsty Charmander owners that just like the sound of leafs burning, which is music to their ears.

The poor Bulbasaur faced those facts a long time ago and decided to give the children of Pallet town one more chance, before accepting the fact that it will never grow into a powerful Venusaur and have an everlasting friendship with a human, and running off to join his wild living kin in the wilderness wherever they might be.

Not wanting to have his hopes crushed for what felt like the hundredth time, the grass dinosaur jumped off the metal table and, ignoring the shocked yells of professor Oak calling him to stop, ran towards the open door as fast as his short pudgy legs could carry him.

Once outside the baby Pokémon kept his eyes focused on the road before him, not wanting to see all the other happy Pokémon-human partnerships having fun together playing ball or sharing ice-cream.

He dodged little toddlers chasing after Caterpies and fully evolved Butterfrees, pretended to not hear the shocked gasps of passerby's trainers upon seeing a starter Pokémon running around scot-free and generally tried to blink away he tears that threated to fall, whenever they were from the wind blowing against his eyes from the speed of his run or from everything that's been going lately, he couldn't tell.

The broken Pokémon only slowed down when the heat of the asphalt warmed by the summer sun was no longer felt under his feet, a quick look around the area he was in confirmed that he left the borders of the dreaded city and entered the forest area where most of the novice trainers look for Pokémon to fill in the gaps in their teams. Since he's an overgrown 5 level Bulbasaur who should have long since been halfway towards becoming an Ivysaur and knows 'Vine Whip', he shouldn't worry about being chased off by local Pokémon.

Not as far from civilization as he would like, at least until the wound of being rejected by everyone who came to choose a Pokémon stopped pulsing, but good enough for now.

Sighting deeply Bulbasaur welcomed his new home and set out to search for a source of water to quench his growing thirst.

Using his sense of smell he was able to quickly locate a nice flowing river, deep enough to drown a young human, habitat to many a water Pokémon and perfect for fighting dehydration.

As he was dripping his tongue in the cool tasteless liquid a piercing scream and a lot of splashing was heard from the farther side of the river, where it disappeared hidden by trees and bushes.

Startled, the Bulbasaur twisted his head towards the source of the squeal and was met with an unusual sight.

A young looking girl, about 10 or 11 if he was comparing her to the kids he saw earlier the same day, with short dark blond hair was trashing in the water fighting to stay afloat.

"H-Help!" She managed to scream before her small head was forced back down underwater. "I-I can't swim!" Bulbasaur watched water enter the girl's mouth just after those words were spoken, forcing her to cough and be dunked back under the unforgiving waters of the river.

Knowing the poor child wouldn't survive any longer inside the deadly waters, the brave little green dinosaur used his famous 'Vine Whip' and wrapped the vines around the drowning human's shoulders. Once he was certain she won't slip through his grip, the young grass monster gathered all his strength and began fighting the river current for her life.

After a rather tiring struggle Bulbasaur managed to pull the frightened child out of the deadly situation, both of them wheezing heavily from both fear and strain. Once the girl was safely on the ground she began the tedious task of coughing out water from her lungs.

Bulbasaur took the chance to look over his charge, while he was gathering his strength back and she turned around to thank him, her breath still labored and wheezing.

"Thank you." She rasped out giving him a nervous smile. "I would have d-drowned if it wasn't for you."

The girl was small for her age, her clothes were torn and worn in many a place but the thing that shocked the grass Pokémon about her was the color of her eyes.

They were milky-white.

And he was pretty sure they couldn't see him.


	2. Chapter 2

"Journey of the Unchosen."

Chapter 2

"Against everything and everyone."

As if somehow sensing that he noticed her secret, the girl turned away from the Bulbasaur and hugged her knees.

"I thank you again for rescuing me…uh-" She left the sentence unfinished because the poor child had no way of knowing the name of the Pokémon that saved her, since Bulbasaur hasn't said a word since they escaped the water.

"Bulbasaur!" The green dinosaur 'mon replied happily, if a bit breathlessly.

She giggled, a soft sound echoing through the forest like gentle bells.

"Oh so you're a Bulbasaur, huh? Well then, I'm pleased to meet you Bulbasaur, my name is Celia." The newly named Celia turned to him with a grin.

"'Saur! Bulba! Saur! Saur!" Regaining a bit of his strength, the grass monster practically yelled his enthusiastic greetings, happy to finally find someone interested in meeting him.

Celia giggled again.

"So, my little savior, where is your trainer?" She asked throwing a stone in the river. "After all you're one of the three starter Pokémon Professor Oak has to offer, it's unlikely that any of your kind resides nearby for you to be wild and I'm sure you're just as wanted as your two counterparts."

Bulbasaur's smile faded and he let out a sad miserable version of his name, hoping it will be enough to convey his predicament.

"Oh…you don't have one, do you? That's a shame…such a noble and brave Pokémon should have been fought over by kids, not left alone."

Bulbasaur nodded his head in agreement and the pair sat in comfortable silence once more, before Celia let out a sad snicker.

"You probably are not surprised that a kid like me ended up half drowning in a river, giving my…condition." A pebble was thrown into the rapid waters. "I probably didn't realize I was walking straight into the river, instead of on the bridge and simply fell in." Her voice was soft though there was a hint of anger hidden in it. "But that's not what happened! I was walking the proper road home when those… _hooligans_ made their Pokémon 'Tackle' me over the bridge." She sniffed and rubbed the fallen tears away with her already damp sleeve. "They…they laughed at me and called me names b-because the Professor w-wouldn't give me a Pokémon, saying it would be too difficult for me to care for a living being when I can't even seem to be able to take care of myself." Tears rolled down the pail cheeks. "They never gave me the chance to prove them wrong…"

"'Saur…" The grass Pokémon cooed, stretching out one of his 'Vine Whip' vines to wipe away the tears not wishing to see the poor girl cry anymore.

Celia smiled through her sadness and gently touched the vine on her cheek.

"Thank you, Bulbasaur. I feel better now that I know you're on my side."

The grass Pokémon puffed up his chest with pride and loudly announced his agreement with her statement.

Of _course_ he's on her side! They are practically sailing in the same boat against the cruel sea also known as the Rest of the World. They might as well go against it together.

Celia giggled again.

"Seems to me that I just gained a new guardian, hmm?" She asked teasingly while petting her savior on the head, to which the Pokémon just purred in happiness of getting his biggest wish granted. "Well then, my new friend, how about I give you a proper name?"

Bulbasaur's heart nearly stopped. He was getting a _name!_ A real name! The moment was so surreal to the grass Pokémon that he wished that, if this was all just a dream, he wouldn't _ever_ get up!

The girl placed one hand under her chin, looking quite deep in though for two long minutes before breaking the silence.

"My grandma once studied Japanese and, when I was little, she once told me her favorite word in that ancient language was 'Ani', meaning 'brother'." Celia recalled with a smile on her face and a distant look in her unseeing eyes. "Back then it was obvious she wanted me to call my big brother Richard by that name, so I did everything I could think of to avoid ever using it." She shook her head, probably sensing the questioning look on Bulbasaur's face. "We…were never really close." She explained. "He's 8 years older than me so…you can imagine how the age difference prevented us from ever truly connecting."

The grass starter couldn't really relate since he never had siblings, but he nodded his head under her palm in understanding anyway.

Celia smiled sadly and petted his head gently in thanks.

"Even though me and Dick (Richard) will never call each other by our Japanese nicknames…" She then picked him up and looked deep into the pocket monster's eyes with her own milky-white orbs. "Would you become my guardian angel, my protector, my brother and…my Ani?"

Bulbasaur, now named Ani, never wished that he could talk more than now, so he could yell the word "YES!" On the top of his lungs for everyone to hear.


End file.
